Concerts up awareness, traffic near local retailers in Colorado

Musical entertainment blasts through the air from every corner of Colorado Springs. It sounds like everyone loves a free concert.

Public relations professionals are raving about the concept and business owners can't get enough of the bonus exposure time.

The "Getting Down Downtown" free summer concert series might have started the trend, said founder and director of marketing for Classic Homes Annie De George.

De George has been the concert organizer since the events started in 2002.

During the first year, total attendance averaged between 50 and 75 people; this year the largest crowd was 3,200, she said.

Originally, the concerts were held at the Plaza of the Rockies. This was the second year that America the Beautiful Park hosted the Wednesday night events from 6 to 8 p.m., which also include the Colorado Farm and Art Market.

GDD began as a way for Classic and Nor'wood to promote Palmer Village.

Some of the concerts are done in cooperation with the Pikes Peak Jazz and Swing Society's "Jazz in the Parks" series which are held outside at various locations around town.

It is a way to familiarize people with the downtown area, De George said. "People have no idea how much music is in this community."

Concerts are more than just an evening affair. Downtown also offers a "Brown Bag Lunch" series in Acacia Park on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. The Palmer Center in front of the Antlers Hilton offers a Friday series from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Historic City Auditorium offers an indoor "Sack Lunch Serenade" on Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m.

Across town

But downtown isn't the only area drawing music lovers.

"We helped First & Main start up their series," De George said.

Cayse Osterlund, senior general manager of First & Main Town Center, manages the concert series for Nor'wood Development Group.

This is the third summer for the series. The first summer there were four shows, he said. Now there are 12. Thirty-six local musicians took the stage this year.

"We wanted to try and establish a 'place' on the east side of town," Osterlund said. "So much of entertainment is downtown. We want to brand ourselves as the center for that part of town."

The concerts are Friday nights from 5 to 7 p.m. in the First & Main Park in front of the Cinemark.

During 2006, the concerts averaged 711 attendees; this year they averaged 772.

WorldMark by Wyndham is across the park from the concert series venue. Manager Murlin Whitten said business has increased because of the series.

"We saw a large increase (in reservations) with the days we worked at the concert series," he said.

Music veterans

While First & Main works to establish itself, other places have been entertaining with local bands for years.

Every Monday night, beginning at 7 p.m., Manitou Springs holds a summer concert series in Soda Springs Park.

Leslie Lewis, executive director of Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce, said the Little London Winds, a Colorado Springs' wind ensemble group has been performing in Manitou for 11 or 12 years.

The series draws between 200 and 300 people each week.

Fountain Creek Brass Band plays on Thursday nights at 7 p.m., Lewis said.

Old Colorado City also has a concert series, "Paint the Town Blue." Performances are on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bancroft Park.

Movies not music

One Springs destination has found another way to drive traffic to stores.

The Promenade Shops at Briargate hosts a movie series.

General Manager Jennifer Halloway said that not everyone has the room for a 30-foot inflatable movie screen, but the G-rated movies seem to bring in the crowds.

Attendance for movie nights during the past two years has reached about 1,200.

"Pictures on the Promenade" is every Saturday during the summer beginning about 8 p.m.

The events bring in a good push for dinner from 7 to 8 p.m., Halloway said. And it builds awareness, if not revenue, for nearby stores.

Lorene Becker, assistant general manager in charge of marketing for the shops, said they get daily calls asking for directions to the movie.

"The people that are coming to the movies are not coming here to shop," she said. "By the time the movie is over, the shops are closed."

Whether the shopping happens on movie night, Becker said patrons see the stores and might come back the next day or the next week.

"It is a way to pull people in who aren't familiar with shopping here," she said.

Copyright 2007 Dolan Media Newswires
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